a bad investment in the future
I'm setting out brief excerpts from two comments filed on the draft Circ Highway/Williston EIS. If you've filed comments that you'd be willing for us to post excerpts from, please email them to me at: editor@plannersweb.com:
Again, as a reminder: the filing deadline for comments is this coming Wednesday, November 21st -- it's easy to comment: simply email your comments to Kenneth Sikora of the Federal Highway Administration at: kenneth.sikora@fhwa.dot.gov
From Liz Curry:
The purpose of this letter is not to dispute that road improvements are needed to relieve traffic congestion in the Williston-Essex corridor of Route 2 and 2A. The real question is will the proposed solution to build a new ring road bring our region the value we need given the cost? And can we relieve congestion in other economical ways that present longer-term solutions?
The Circ takes an outdated transportation technique -- the Ring Road. ... Indeed, ring roads all over the country have since demonstrated -- through suburban sprawl and reinforcement of single occupancy vehicle use -- what a failed transportation policy this is.
Like most rural Americans, we Vermonters value our independence and freedom to get in the car when we want and go where we want, without having to wait long. However, this desire is based on a century of access to inexpensive fuel that has shaped human behavior as it relates to transportation. I strongly believe that this desire does not warrant a $50 - $90 million investment in a new road, particularly at the direct expense of the multiple transportation and demand side improvements identified in the Metropolitan Planning Organization's MTP [Metropolitan Transportation Plan]. ...
Our problem today (single occupancy vehicle congestion) won't be our problem in ten or even five years. Our problem in five years will be the price of gasoline and the desire for alternative transportation solutions. ...
If VTrans only defines the Circ EIS goal as reducing congestion, then where can the public look to find both the money and the solutions to implement alternative approaches to single occupancy vehicular transportation?"
From Kathleen Ryan:
"I have now come to the conclusion that this highway should not be built at all. There are too many other, more worthy projects that have been 'on the books' at VTrans, some ready to be built, that are much more deserving of funding.
Although the State of Vermont has committed to supporting sustainable growth within their downtowns by providing some minor programs, it is denying these towns the important transportation infrastructure they desperately need. There are numerous transportation projects planned for many downtowns that should be built NOW. ...
If the result of building this highway were only that commuters saved a few minutes, as they believe they will, or it is a bit easier for folks on 2A to get out of their driveways, which may be true for a year or two, at least the road would do no harm. But the history of new highways and driving patterns has proven otherwise. Many of us know that traffic grows to fill the void and, if built, it will encourage surrounding development and the Circ will be bumper to bumper in a few years.
I believe an investment in transportation infrastructure in any or all of the downtowns mentioned above would reap a far better reward for these towns and a more healthy and sustainable future for Vermont."
Note from Wayne Senville: I've added the graphics to this post!
